Category Archives: Flights
Thomson Airways now flies from London Gatwick to Sri Lanka
Thomson Airways now flies their new luxury Boeing 787 Dreamliner weekly to Colombo Sri Lanka from London Gatwick.
This is a direct non stop flight of 11.5 hours and Premium Class is also available.
This is a huge boost for tourism for Sri Lanka and follows the announcements from both Austrian Airlines and KLM who are also offering new services to the island.
The Thomson flight now fills part of the gap left after British Airways pulled out of the service in 2015 due to competition from Sri Lankan Airlines.
Seats are sold on the aircraft as part of package holidays or seat only.
Long haul holidays are fast becoming the preferred choice for many British holidaymakers as new research from holiday brands, Thomson and First Choice reveals that more people than ever before are prepared to go the distance to find their dream destination. Travelling for nine hours or more is now considered par for the course for many Brits (77%) as they seek more adventure and cultural diversity from their holidays.
Whilst two week durations remain the most popular, increasingly British holidaymakers are jetting further afield for just 10 or 11 nights in search of better weather (53%), cultural diversity (52%), beautiful beaches (42%) and more adventure (38%). This combination of factors resulted in 65% of those asked saying their long haul holidays were the most memorable and that they felt more adventurous (36%) than on a short-haul holiday (9%).
First Choice, part of TUI UK & Ireland, is one of the UK’s most well-known holiday brands, delivering unique and modern holiday experiences for its customers every year.
The airline was the first UK operator of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
What’s different about Dreamliner?
Bigger Windows
The windows on a 787 Dreamliner are about 30% bigger than those on your average plane. What’s more, when you’re ready to sleep, you can dim them at the touch of a button.
Room Overhead
Even at its lowest point, the Dreamliner cabin is over 6-foot high, so there’s a real sense of space.
More Oxygen
You’ll leave the plane feeling fresher when you fly on the Dreamliner. This is because its cabin pressure allows more oxygen to be absorbed into your blood.
Mood Lighting
Your body clock is more in tune wherever you’re heading on the Dreamliner, as the plane features a high-spec mood lighting system that can mimic things like dawn and dusk.
A Quieter Flight
The Dreamliner generates 60 per cent less noise than standard planes during take-off and
landing. It’ll be quieter in the air, too.
Quality Time
You can indulge in some proper ‘me’ time on the Dreamliner. It’s kitted out with state-of-the-art seatback TVs – and you can even plug your camera into them.
More fuel-efficient
Thanks to its composite structure and revolutionary engines, the plane is more fuel-efficient and emits less CO2 – about 20 per cent less carbon on a flight from Britain to America.
A bigger reach
The 787 Dreamliner can fly about 8,000 miles without stopping, which means it can go direct to destinations other planes can’t reach.
Upgrade to Premium Club :
For a bigger luggage allowance and seats with a bigger recline and a 38-inch pitch. You’ll also get priority check in and boarding, security fast track and UK airport lounge access, plus luxury extras like a Rituals cosmetics kit, a bigger TV screen, and a complimentary drink before you fly. And if you’re on a night flight, they’ll supply a duvet and pillow, too.
We compare cheap flights and hotels in one place. Find great deals with Altitude Flights and book your next trip here today.
Fly to Sri Lanka with Saudia Airlines
Saudia Airlines is the national airline of Saudia Arabia. It tends to be popular with other muslim countries as they operate a service to Mecca. However it is also a viable option for those travelling from Europe to Colombo, Sri Lanka.
A change is usually required either at Riyadh or Jeddah, or typically Riyadh via Jeddah, and you may also have another stop at Male on the Maldives on your way to Sri Lanka.
Flight time from say Madrid to Jeddah is 6 to 6 1/2 hours, and from say Jeddah direct to Colombo another 6 to 6 1/2 hours. The challenge is the transit time.
Jeddah has a transit lounge giving you free tea and coffee, and also snacks. You can rest in their lounge, some are reclining lounge seats, or watch TV. However time allowed in this area is strictly controlled by the lounge controller. After a limited time, he rolls you out for the next influx of transit passengers.
The transit lounge at Riyadh is only for their members and is not for the economy transit passenger. No free tea or coffee there, nor are there any free munchies.
One of the big advantages of flying with Saudia is that you are allowed 2 pieces of luggage, each with a maximum weight of 23 kgs per person even for economy passengers. That is far better than some other airlines offer.
There is no alcohol served on board, but the cabin crew are most courteous and professional. The meals are average and nothing to get excited about. Practical but not luxurious.
There is a good selection of films to choose from, but on several of my flights there were problems with damaged audio services.
Price-wise Saudia Airlines are very competitive. They are worth investigating before you make a booking to fly to Sri Lanka.
To check prices with Saudia Airlines or any other major airline, click HERE
IndiGo to fly from Chennai & Bangalore to Colombo
IndiGo to fly from Chennai & Bangalore to Colombo
IndiGo, India’s largest and fastest-growing airline, has announced that Colombo, Sri Lanka will be its eighth international and 49th overall destination on its network.
The new schedule will see non-stop connections between Colombo, Chennai and Bangalore, effective 20 January 2018.
Starting fares from $55 (ex-Chennai) and $93 (ex-Bangalore).
With this addition, both corporate and leisure passengers travelling to and from Colombo will get the opportunity to experience the on-time, affordable and hassle-free travel experience that IndiGo is synonymous with.
These new flights will further consolidate IndiGo’s position as the fastest growing airline in India with 149 Airbus A320s and a three ATR aircraft strong fleet, operating over 1,000 daily flights, connecting to 49 destinations.
Speaking on the launch, IndiGo President and Whole Time Director Aditya Ghosh said: “As one of the most sought after destinations in South Asia, Colombo draws visitors from across the globe for its fine blend of tradition and culture. It gives us immense pleasure to add Colombo as our 49th destination and cater to the needs of both business as well as leisure travellers. We aspire to continue providing an affordable and hassle-free travel experience to our passengers within and beyond India.”
Departing flights from Chennai to Colombo
Flight No. |
Origin |
Destination |
Departure Time |
Arrival Time |
Via |
Day of Operation |
Effective From |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6E 1201 |
Chennai |
Colombo |
04:00 |
05:30 |
Every Wed |
24-Jan-18 |
||
6E 1201 |
Chennai |
Colombo |
06:55 |
08:15 |
Except Wed |
20-Jan-18 |
||
6E 1203 |
Chennai |
Colombo |
10:05 |
11:30 |
Every Wed |
24-Jan-18 |
||
6E 1203 |
Chennai |
Colombo |
12:00 |
13:25 |
Except Wed |
20-Jan-18 |
Returning flights from Colombo to Chennai
Flight No. |
Origin |
Destination |
Departure Time |
Arrival Time |
Via |
Day of Operation |
Effective From |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6E 1202 |
Colombo |
Chennai |
06:30 |
07:55 |
Every Wed |
24-Jan-18 |
||
6E 1202 |
Colombo |
Chennai |
09:15 |
11:00 |
Except Wed |
20-Jan-18 |
||
6E 1204 |
Colombo |
Chennai |
20:30 |
21:55 |
Daily |
20-Jan-18 |
Departing flights from Bangalore to Colombo
Flight No. |
Origin |
Destination |
Departure Time |
Arrival Time |
Via |
Day of Operation |
Effective From |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6E 1205 |
Bengaluru |
Colombo |
18:00 |
19:30 |
Daily |
20-Jan-18 |
Returning flights from Colombo to Bangalore
Flight No. |
Origin |
Destination |
Departure Time |
Arrival Time |
Via |
Day of Operation |
Effective From |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6E 1206 |
Colombo |
Bengaluru |
12:30 |
14:00 |
Every Wed |
24-Jan-18 |
||
6E 1206 |
Colombo |
Bengaluru |
14:25 |
15:55 |
Except Wed |
20-Jan-18 |
To Book these or any other worldwide airline, click HERE
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New service from Switzerland to Sri Lanka
New service from Switzerland to Sri Lanka
Edelweiss, Switzerland’s leading leisure airline and sister company of Swiss International Air Lines, is further expanding its route network to Asia.
From 3rd November 2018 the airline will offer direct seasonal flights between Zurich and Colombo.
An Edelweiss Airbus A340-300 will fly twice weekly. Every Thursday and Saturday between Zurich and Colombo connecting the two cities directly. Flight time will be 10 hours.
Day | Zurich | Colombo | |
---|---|---|---|
Saturdays | 21:05 | 11:30 (the next day) |
Thursdays | 17:55 |
08:20 (the next day) |
The new connection allows Swiss and other European tourists to reach Sri Lanka with ease and in comfort.
“Sri Lanka and its countless leisure activities are very popular among Swiss tourists” says Bernd Bauer, CEO of Edelweiss. “Swiss vacationers tend to spend more time and money than visitors from other countries. Our flights will bring approximately 11,000 visitors to Colombo each year, generating an annual economic impact of more than $ 32million.”
As well as opening Sri Lanka to Swiss and other European visitors, the new route offers a convenient direct flight for travellers from around Colombo to the heart of Europe, with many onward flight options from Zurich to other European cities and world-wide destinations with Swiss International Air Lines.
The route will be operated with an Airbus A340-300 seating 314 passengers. Edelweiss Business Class is equipped with 27 fully lie-flat seats and a state-of-the-art inflight entertainment system with HD touchscreens. Economy Max encompasses 76 comfortable seats with six inches more legroom, more recline and many other amenities.
The 211 seats in Economy Class provide for a relaxing flight and offer an inflight entertainment system that also features HD touchscreens. For more information regarding the Edelweiss product visit
To book your flights with Edelweiss or any other airline to / from Asia please click HERE